Save South Africa's Brown Hyaenas

Summary

This project is trying to improve the odds for brown hyaenas in and near Pilanesberg National Park. Despite their traditional bad reputation, brown hyaenas are actually social mammals living in tight-knit clans; members will even help suckle each other's young. Like other carnivores and large scavengers, brown hyaenas suffer from shrinking habitats and conflict with humans. Learning more about what they need to survive in and near protected areas will help save the remaining 1,700 living in SA.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

The land around protected areas is being increasingly developed, and hyaenas that venture into neighboring farmland and game ranches are at risk of being poisoned, trapped, or hunted down as pests.

How will this project solve this problem?

Volunteers survey protected and unprotected lands for brown hyaenas and other scavengers critical for any ecosystem. Surveys by foot and vehicle look not only for hyaenas, vultures, and insects but also for their tracks, droppings, feeding sites, dens, nests, etc. Researchers capture and tag individual animals, monitor populations, and assess habitats. The study also does predator population counts at night, playing tape recordings of prey to attract lions and leopards for spotlight transects

Potential Long Term Impact

Attempts to improve the situation for hyaenas depend upon a thorough understanding of the regions they inhabit and of the roles of other scavengers. Maintaining a balance between hyaenas, vultures, and dung beetles-three key scavengers in the area-is essential for a healthy ecosystem. Assessing them in one project will provide critical data for future overall conservation efforts.

Funding Information

Total Funding Received to Date: $490
Remaining Goal to be Funded: $3,005
Total Funding Goal: $3,495

Resources

Donate by US Mobile Phone

Text GIVE 9659 to 80088 to donate $10 to Save South Africa's Brown Hyaenas. Message and data rates may apply. Only works for US mobile phones.

TXT MSG from our lawyers: Note that your $10 donation will be made to the
GlobalGiving Foundation-Save South Africa's Brown Hyaenas project. Charges will appear on your wireless
bill, or be deducted from your prepaid balance. All purchases must be
authorized by the account holder. You must reply YES to the confirmation message.
You must be 18 years of age or have parental permission to participate. Text
STOP to 80088 to stop all communication. Text HELP to
80088 for help. Message and data rates
may apply. Full Terms: www.mGive.org/T. Privacy
Policy: goto.gg/privacy.

WARNING: Javascript is currently disabled or is not available in your browser. GlobalGiving makes extensive use of Javascript and will not function properly with Javascript disabled. Please enable Javascript and refresh this page.